Weapon
by May Arisa
Summary: This is inspired by what Obi-wan said in the second movie: 'This weapon is your life, try not to lose it again.' Anakin, later Darth Vader, and his thoughts while he makes his lightsabers.


_This weapon is your life. Try not to lose it again._

* * *

Carefully Anakin lifted one of the crystals into the hilt of the not-yet-finished lightsaber. It was precise work: if you made one mistake, the lightsaber would blow up, most likely in you face. The crystal went down slowly, until it came to rest at the exact location in the hilt. Anakin wiped the sweat of off his forehead. This was his first real lightsaber, and he didn't want to disappoint his Master. Now, the second crystal.

Unknowingly his tongue sneaked out of his mouth. This was the truly dangerous part. If the crystals touched before they were both settled, well, lets say that Anakin really didn't want to face the consequences. With help of the Force the crystal lowered ever so slowly until it was on the right place. He did it! He had made his own lightsaber!

Time to test it out, thought Anakin. He shoved the metal plate that protected the crystals in its place and lifted the hilt in his right hand. His thumb found it's way to the button that would unlock the weapon. He let it rest there for a moment, then suddenly pushed it. An intense blue blade sprung forth and made a familiar humming noise.

Anakin's lips turned into a smile as he ran out of the room, lit blade still in his had, to show his Master.

* * *

Anakin really didn't understand why the Jedi needed weeks to create a lightsaber. He always did it in a few hours. But then again, most of the Jedi didn't lose as many as he did. And every time he made a new one, his Master said the same words: 'This weapon is your life!' And most of the times he would add: 'Try not to lose it.' Both the Master and the Apprentice finished his sentence in their heads: 'Again.'

Anakin smirked. He always wondered if his Master meant not to lose his lightsaber or not to lose his life. He thought it was the latter, but Anakin wasn't sure. He had asked once, a long time ago. The only answer he had gotten was a secretive smile.

* * *

While outside of the bunker cannons were firing, Anakin cursed his luck. Of course he had to be the one who let his blade fall into the acid lakes that were located all over this Force-forsaken planet somewhere in the Outer-Rim. And now, when the Separatists attacked, he had to be in this stinkhole making a new lightsaber. Again. And his Mater had very sarcastic and thus in a very nice way said that if he had not also lost his reserve weapon, he could participate in the battle.

That just wasn't fair, since his Master knew where his other lightsaber was! He had taken it himself, when Anakin was sleeping because his Master didn't want to face the humiliation of losing his weapon himself. Anakin had kept his mouth shut, not saying anything against the other Jedi, and this is how he was repaid?

With the Force he smashed the crystals in its place, not even watching what he did. For why should he? He had done this numerous times, and even if it was exiting in the beginning, after the fifth lightsaber it started to lose it's glamour. Now he truly loathed the task, especially because he could be out there fighting a war instead of sitting here.

Finally it was complete. Anakin switched it one time on, as a test, and when it the blade sprang out as it should, he ran outside, determined to destroy as many droids as possible.

* * *

Lord Vader looked at the red synthetic crystals. He had only ever used natural, biologic ones before, and unfortunately there weren't any biologic red crystals. So he was stuck with these. Well, if they didn't work, he would just get another pair. Or maybe a color that was of the Jedi nor the Sith.

While his hands worked on the lightsaber, his mind went to all the other times he had to perform this task, when he was still a Jedi. Back then he only had used blue crystals. Unwillingly he thought of his old Master's reprimand. _Your weapon is your life. Try not to lose it again._

His weapon was his life. The heart of his weapon was now a blend of several melted natural metals and stones, pressured into these tiny things he held in his huge, dark gloved hands. Did that mean that he wasn't real anymore? Or was the fact that he was also a mixture of natural flesh and machine-made steel covered in black just coincidence?

Try not to lose it. Had he lost his life together with his claim of the color blue - for no Sith wore a blue lightsaber -, just like his old lightsaber made of biologic crystals? He was tempted to say yes, I have lost it, and I don't want to hear anything about it anymore because now I have a new life, but a part of him would always wonder what happened to his old one. He could vaguely remember his old Master picking his lightsaber up, but he didn't know what he had done with it after that. Probably thrown away somewhere, leaving it to its fate just like he had done with the owner of that blade.

Again. As far as he knew, he hadn't made such life-altering decisions before, except when he decided to leave Tatooine but back then he hadn't got a weapon so that didn't count. Did that mean that somewhere in the future he would make such a decision again? Of was he just imagining all these parallels?

Darth Vader shoved these troublesome thoughts aside as he finished with is new lightsaber. He lit the blade and was very pleased with what he saw.

* * *

Just a few minutes ago they stood together in the passage, one captive, the other admiring the captive's lightsaber. It was a pale green color, small crystals no doubt, and a harsh hilt. So very different than his own finely crafted ones. However, it was a well build, and not quick to break.

Now he sat in his chambers aboard the Executor, while the captive - he couldn't bear to think his name - spent the night in one of the more luxury cells. Tomorrow they would go to his Master, and in the throne room of the Second Death Star the fate of the galaxy would be decided. His Master would likely make the captive attack him, and to that end he checked his lightsaber for the thirty-seventh time. And again. Again.

Suddenly his pondering from almost twenty-four years ago resurfaced in his mind. Would he change? Would he again lose his weapon and with it his life, or at least his life as he knew it? Only time would tell, but the Force started nagging him that that just could be the case.

Behind his mask Darth Vader, Dark lord of the Sith and Supreme Commander of all Imperial Forces, smiled at the thought of his old Master's reprimand.

* * *

_This weapon is your life. Try not to lose it again._


End file.
